After all, the promotion is always looking for standout talent to recruit for future tournaments, and a featured fight can often lead to an invitation.

But Rosholt (8-3 MMA, 0-0 BFC) told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) that his fight with Brandon McDowell (4-3 MMA, 0-0 BFC) is just a one-off. He doesn’t want to be tied down.

Bellator 37 takes place at Lucky Star Casino in Concho, Okla., and airs live on MTV2.

The 28-year-old Rosholt has a picture of what his career will look like in the near future, and it’s got an octagon in it.

Although Bellator’s tournament structure offers a great opportunity, Rosholt, a WEC and UFC veteran, said his first priority is to be ready for the UFC when he makes the kind of noise that warrants a call from the big show.

If he signs on to a tournament, the line could be busy.

“Bellator’s doing a great thing and are doing a good job, but it’s not something that really interests me,” Rosholt said. “I want to fight for the UFC again, and Bellator’s contracts could be super long, especially if you get in the tournament or win the tournament.

“It becomes a really long, drawn-out deal, and that’s not a situation I want to put myself in.”

Rosholt said his involvement with Bellator came about through recent work with a regional promotion, C3 Fights. Because Bellator does not carry a promoter’s license in all of the states in which it holds events, it often relies upon local promoters to find talent for the preliminary card.

Right now, Rosholt is trying to peek his head out from the middleweight crowd, and he just wants to stay busy. He earned a win four weeks ago at a C3 Fights event, and he’ll fight again three weeks after Saturday’s show in a card promoted in Arlington, Texas, where he and his teammates at Team Takedown relocated after a long stint in Las Vegas.

He is now 2-1 since he was released by the UFC in late 2009 with a 2-2 record.

“I’m just trying to knock out some fights and get some experience,” he said. “Get some wins under my belt, and hopefully get back into a big show before too long.”

MMAjunkie.com Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) live from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by Gorgeous George, MMAjunkie.com lead staff reporter John Morgan and producer Goze. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.

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